The wheat crop, from the grass family and belonging to the genus Triticum, is one of the oldest cereals in history. There are reports by historians that since 11 thousand BC. the cereal already existed in the Middle East, initially spreading towards Europe in the Neolithic period.
In the current scenario, it is one of the main cereals produced, along with corn and rice, being part of the diet of practically the entire world population. It is used from the production of flour for baking and beer production, to animal feed. Its productive versatility allowed the grain to have countless possibilities more and more, challenging world agriculture to increase its production and quality.
In the world, the European Union, China and India are currently the largest producers. However, Brazil is not far behind. According to the National Supply Company (Conab), in the 21/22 crop year, we reached a production of 7.7 million tons, reinforcing Brazil's productive importance in the world wheat crop scenario.
The states of Rio Grande Sul and Paraná have the largest planted area in the country, in addition to the largest volumes produced. Although Brazil is not yet self-sufficient in the cultivation of wheat, we are actively fighting for this with several technical contributions, such as genetic varieties that are more resistant to climate issues, pests and diseases, in addition to the rational use of fertilizers that have been gaining in increasing productivity for hectare and the quality of that grain.
Let's talk a little about fertilization in the wheat crop and its importance?
Importance of fertilization in the wheat crop
Wheat, like other crops, has nutritional requirements to perform its physiological functions and, above all, to reach high productivity in times with so many productive challenges. Even the current use of new wheat cultivars with a higher yield ceiling have started to demand a nutritional increase in the plants.
It is known that correctives and fertilizers currently represent a large part of the production costs in the wheat crop. However, studies that have been carried out by important institutions, such as Embrapa, state that these inputs are largely responsible for the increase in production that has been obtained, in addition to the increase in grain quality.
Therefore, it is fundamental that the decision-making process of which fertilizer to use and which nutrients to include should be made in a personalized way for your crop.
When we talk about nutrients, nitrogen is one of the most demanded by grasses in general. According to Martins (2019), the wheat crop extracts around 28 kg per ton of grain produced and exports around 20 kg per ton.
Nitrogen participates in photosynthesis and also in the formation of proteins that make up wheat grains, making it essential for the crop!
Nitrogen is not the only essential nutrient for wheat, we have two other important nutrients that directly contribute to guaranteeing high productivity: sulfur and boron.
Sulfur and the wheat crop
Sulfur (S) is a secondary macronutrient, that is, it is essential and required by plants in high amounts, but in smaller amounts than primary macronutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Its importance is due to the participation in important metabolic processes, in the production of proteins and in photosynthesis, being part of coenzymes, such as ferredoxin, which is related to nitrogen fixation. In addition, S directly contributes to the quality of baking and the final value of the product.
Let's know other benefits?
Sulfur and abiotic stress
Many studies have shown new attributes of S, mainly in the composition of some substances that are produced by plants in times of strong biotic stress, such as pest attacks or disease infestations, which directly affect productivity. According to researcher Bloem (2015), the adequate supply of sulfur, via fertilization, leads to greater production of cysteine, hydrogen sulfide, glutathione and others, which allow plants to activate their defense mechanisms more quickly against biotic attacks.
Sulfur and the increase in the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization
S and N act synergistically for plants, that is, the interaction is positive when the presence of sulfur favors the absorption of nitrogen.
This happens due to some of the ways in which nitrogen becomes available to plants, which is through the mineralization carried out by microorganisms present in the soil of N (organic) and also through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) from the air, also performed by microorganisms. According to the literature, sulfur actively participates in these chemical reactions that carry out FBN and in the absorption of N by plants.
In other words, we have seen that N is the main nutrient demanded by grasses, as is the case with wheat. In addition to the importance of providing it, the contribution of sulfur fertilization will favor the absorption of N and will contribute to greater crop productivity.
sulfur requirement
Thinking about all these benefits, it is important that S is available to the plant throughout its cycle. The average in the literature is 10 to 30 kg/hectare depending on your soil analysis and the recommendation of your agronomist.
What about boron? Let's understand a little more about this other nutrient so important.
Boron and the wheat crop
Boron (B), unlike sulfur, is a micronutrient, that is, required in smaller amounts, but of macro importance for plants. B is required throughout the entire wheat crop cycle. Without its presence, the plant does not complete all its physiological activities, which compromises its productive performance.
It is considered a fundamental nutrient for the formation of the structural part of cells, the cell walls and membranes, which protect and give rigidity. The first deficiency noticed in the lack of boron in plants is the reduction of root growth, which is so essential for crop uptake. Another benefit of it is the direct contribution to the grain filling process.
Boron and pollination
Pollination is an essential step in wheat cultivation. As stated, boron participates in membrane integrity and cell wall formation. Therefore, it is an essential element in the growth and formation of the pollen tube, which is responsible for transporting pollen to the ovary of the plant in order to ensure the initiation of fertilization and, consequently, the production of the wheat grain.
Boron and fertility
In addition to the pollen tube, boron is also related to the viability of anthers and pollen grains, in addition to attracting insects for pollination. In this way, this micronutrient directly contributes to increasing the general fertility of plants.
Crops well nourished with boron ensure increased pollination and reduced sterility of wheat plants.
What the producer must be aware of is that sulfur and boron are mobile nutrients, which may be lost with rainwater, causing deficiencies in the crop. Therefore, it is essential to think about handling fertilizers that include them in their composition and have them available throughout the crop cycle.
